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ABSW NAMES ECUMENICAL LEADER ALUM OF THE YEAR
A former political prisoner now head of the National Council of
Churches of the Philippines has been named ABSW’s Alum of the
Year.
Sharon Rose Joy Ruiz-Duremdes graduated from ABSW in 1973 with
a master’s in religious education. She returned to her native
Philippines to teach in the College of Theology at Central Philippine
University. Her commitment to social justice led to imprisonment
during the Marcos regime. Today, she is known internationally as
a significant lay leader for women in religion, and throughout her
work she is a vital ambassador for ABSW.
“The seminary is proud to honor Ms. Ruiz-Duremdes’ ongoing
ministry and the many contributions she has made worldwide in advancing
the Gospel of Jesus Christ," says President Keith Russell.
While at Central Philippine University, Ruiz-Duremdes shared what
she calls “the ABSW Spirit" and convinced many to pursue
studies in Christian education, and even to travel to ABSW for their
own seminary training.
No stranger to awards and firsts, she is presently the general
secretary for the National Council of Churches of the Philippines,
the first woman to head up that ecumenical organization. She is
a sought-after speaker on women’s issues and an advocate for
human rights in many international and Asian organizations.
She also has made valued contributions to the Convention of Philippine
Baptist Churches as lecturer, resource person, policy maker, and
curriculum designer. However, her most personally satisfying contribution
to the denomination is in being, in her words, “part of a core
group that spearheads a movement within the church which articulates
a more progressive theology… incorporating social justice in
evangelization.”
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